Other goals in PL2 tonight

Derby’s game at Manchester United remains goalless - but there have been goals elsewhere.

Here’s the latest:

Liverpool 2-1 Tottenham

Manchester United 0-0 Derby County

Middlesbrough 0-0 Stoke City

Swansea 0-1 Manchester City

Leicester 0-0 Chelsea

17mins

Latest from Manchester United

Seventeen minutes on the clock in Manchester and it remains goalless in the Premier League 2 game.

Manchester United Under-23 0-0 Derby County Under-23

0mins

PEEP!

We are off in the U23 game between Manchester United and Derby County.

Here are the players emerging to the pitch moments ago:

18:39

How do United line up?

Here’s how Manchester United shape up for tonight’s U23 game with Derby County.

18:23

Full story: Rams team news for U23 game

Ikechi Anya starts for Derby County Under-23s in their Premier League 2 fixture at Manchester Unite tonight.

Anya has been a peripheral figure for the first team this season, only featuring in the abandoned Carabao Cup game at Grimsby Town in August, the rearranged game at Blundell Park and then the second-round clash at Barnsley.

Defender Jason Shackell also features in the XI as he continues to build match fitness for his return to first-team duties.

COLUMN: A chance to gloat while on holiday

While he was on holiday, the Rams beat Hull City 5-0. It’s fair to say that may have been a topic of conversation.

Here’s a snippet of the column:

As I took a seat and ordered a pint of Estrella, I heard one of them make a sheep noise. OK, not the most promising start to the evening – there’s a Forest fan in the room. It was at this point that I implored my beloved Rams not to show me up in front of everyone. Many a time there has been when Derby County have let me down – but I really hoped that the Rams would put on a show that made it worth the landlord’s gesture of putting it on, despite the reaction of his regulars.

Nigel Pearson on joining OH Leuven

Former Derby County boss Nigel Pearson said he “cannot wait” to get started at OH Leuven

Pearson was today named head coach of the Belgian second-tier side, who were brought earlier this year by Leicester City owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.

Former Derby County manager Nigel Pearson

The ex-Foxes manager replaces Dennis van Wijk at the club, who currently sit fourth in the table with nine points from six games.

Pearson told the OH Leuven club website:

I’m looking forward to getting back into football, re-working with King Power’s and helping out with this club. I know how to develop the club and I’m looking forward to contributing to it. The club has many good players and a good staff that guides them. I cannot wait to work with them and achieve our goals.”

16:45

Under-23s back in action tonight - here's a preview

Darren Wassall in Derby County Under-23s game with Everton (Image: Andy Clarke)

A win could lift Derby as high as sixth, if results go their way. Kick-off is 7pm and we will bring you match updates here.

Here’s the rest of the PL2 fixtures tonight:

Liverpool v Tottenham

Manchester United v Derby County

Middlesbrough v Stoke City

Swansea v Manchester City

Leicester v Chelsea

16:24KEY EVENT

Joe Ledley was a Derby target before the window closed

Boss Gary Rowett has confirmed Derby County considered signing Joe Ledley before the transfer window closed.

The Welsh midfielder joined this week on a short-term deal until January.

Rumours had circled all summer about a potential Rams move for Ledley - and Rowett confirmed as much.

We tried to get him in but to get him on a short-term deal was difficult, with the interest that he had. But such was his desire to come to the club that he accepted that short-term nature of what we were looking for.”

Championship action this weekend

Of course, all eyes will be on Pride Park Stadium as the Rams host Birmingham City, but there’s a few other tasty games to look forward to.

Bolton Wanderers v Brentford

Derby County v Birmingham City

Fulham v Middlesbrough

Leeds United v Ipswich Town

Norwich City v Bristol City

Presto North End v Millwall

Queens Park Rangers v Burton Albion

Reading v Hull City

Sunderland v Cardiff City

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Barnsley

Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest (5.30pm)

Sheffield Wednesday v Sheffield United (Sunday)

The Sky Bet Championship trophy

15:43

Will we see Maikel Kieftenbeld at Pride Park tomorrow?

It’s a question many fans will be wondering.

If Derby County supporters do get a glimpse of Kieftenbeld, it won’t be in the capacity they would’ve liked!

Maikel Kieftenbeld (left) in action for Birmingham

The midfielder thought he had secured a deadline-day move to Derby from the Blues, but it later transpired the deal had not been completed in time and the EFL did not authorise the transfer.

Then-Birmingham boss Harry Redknapp was happy to sell Kieftenbeld to Derby, but now he has been sacked, does this open the door for a return to the first team?

Lee Carsley, a tough-tackling midfielder himself, could call on Kieftenbeld for the first time since a home defeat to Reading earlier this season.

In a preview of the game, the Birmingham Mail have raised the point of Kieftenbeld.

Here’s what they said:

With the ‘not too many changes’ mantra at the forefront of our minds, would it be entirely surprising to see some of Blues’ more high energy players back in the set-up? I’m looking at you Maikel Kieftenbeld - and what a twist that would be. The Dutchman thought he had moved to Derby on transfer deadline day only for the move to be derailed by red tape a week later. How sweet it would be if he could reprise his Pride Park stunner of a couple of years ago.”

Let’s wait and see...

15:30KEY EVENT

Ledley could be a long-term option

Could new signing Joe Ledley stay beyond January?

New Derby County signing Joe Ledley (Image: Derby County Football Club)

The Welsh midfielder signed earlier this week on a short-term deal, but manager Gary Rowett has hinted it could be extended.

I think in an ideal world, he does so well for us that we’re begging him to stay for longer. That’s the perfect scenario. I’m sure if we’d offered him a four-year deal, he wouldn’t have turned it down - but I think it shows a real strength of character to take a short-term deal and almost come in and have to get something longer by his performances.”